This invention generally relates to rotating imaging scanner systems and more particularly, to methods and systems for optimizing high resolution image reconstruction.
Detecting an accurate shape and size of small objects in CT images for example, a volume of soft plaque in a coronary vessel is affected by the resolution of the images that are being analyzed. To achieve the most accurate estimation of small volumes, the images of the object should be viewed at the highest possible resolution. However, because of limitations of storage space and workflow, acquisition of images at the highest resolution available on a CT system may not be possible.
Small airways in lungs are the early precursors of thoracic diseases for example, but not limited to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and bronchitis. Changes in the wall thickness and lumen of these small airways (<2 mm) facilitate indicating the progression of the disease at the very onset. Current clinical image acquisition techniques for lungs do not provide enough resolution for an accurate measurement of these airways. High-resolution reconstruction can help the accuracy but current clinical protocols do not use these because of the high number of images required to cover an entire field of view at such a reconstruction resolution. In addition, for diagnostic readings, doctors, physicians, and radiologists require images covering the full field of view of the lungs. Moreover, some of the reconstruction parameters used clinically for diagnostic reading of lung images have been found to be not suitable for quantitative analysis.